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Interview of Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African white newspaper, about his views on news censorship and the political and social situation in South Africa
Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African Anglo newspaper, is interviewed about his views on news censorship. He speaks about the types of views presented in the news depending on the type of newspaper (liberal, conservative, white, or black),and about the government censorship of black liberation prevalent in South Africa. Tissong also speaks on the dangers of being a white reporter in black townships because that is where the struggle is being waged. He mentions the horrible practice of prison detention of children, and laments the lack of those calling for sanctions (besides prominent people like Desmond Tutu). He comments on the current situation of oppressed people supporting the struggle against Apartheid through armed struggle. He mentions Robert Mugabe’s liberation strategy of a “bullet for a bullet” by killing whites. Tissong speaks about black on black violence in South Africa, pointing out two levels: one of the right wing (IFP - Inkatha Freedom Party), the other from cultural movements in Natal. On political and social movements and organizations, he talks about the Black Consciousness Movement and its call for a stop to violence, and the UDF’s (United Democratic Front) call for violence in the struggle. Lastly, he speaks on the west’s (United States) view of Southern Africa, as they treat it like a game. The west only supports groups like AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organization), but ignores ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), and only recognizes the ANC (African National Congress), not other South African liberation organizations.
Pan African Congress representative speaks on how the people of South Africa are organized and ready to fight white rule.
A speech by a PAC (Pan African Congress) representative on how the people of South Africa are organized and ready for the fight against the white imperialists. He also praises the solidarity of the people of Azania and the United States. The speech ends with the chant “Up with Azania, down with South Africa” and the singing of the South Africa National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica.
Conference on liberation and reconstruction struggles in Southern Africa
Continuation of AFR 034
See enclosed note in AFR 035
Conference on liberation and reconstruction struggles in Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia. A representative of SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization) speaks about the international community being in solidarity with Southern African countries, and asks for support for SWAPO’s continued struggle for liberation in Namibia. A member of the Zimbabwe admission to the United Nations speaks about the bonds formed between liberation fighters in Africa and internationally. He speaks about the leaders of ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), the ANC (African National Congress), and the PAC (Pan African Congress). He speaks on the history of the struggles for independence and human rights in Southern Africa, and the contued struggle for liberation. Sylvia Baraldini of the May 19th Communist Organization speaks on the National Campaign in solidarity with the ZANU Women’s League. She talks about the lessons of the struggle for liberation in Zimbabwe and looks at the process of reconstruction. A permanent representative of the PAC of Azania to the United Nations speaks about South Africa. He comments on South African president P.W. Botha’s refusal to erode Apartheid through economic means. He talks about a socialist solution incorporating equal distribution of wealth and power, and calls people to work together to fight oppression.
Imperialist oppression in Southern African countries
Judy Jensen of the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU makes a speech about Southern Africa. She speaks about ZANU’s defeat of white settler colonialism in Zimbabwe and also women’s contributions to the struggle. She discusses the different fronts in the war for the liberation of Southern Africa, and the struggle against the US’s attack on their independence. She talks about struggles in Namibia, South Africa’s control over Southern African countries, and calls for solidarity with Southern African countries. Lastly, she draws comparisons and similarities between the oppression of blacks in America and Africa. Next, Serge Mukendi, US Representative of the Workers and Peasants Movement of the Congo (MOP), speaks about weaknesses in natural and human resources in Africa because they are not in the hands of the Africans. He speaks about the struggles in Congo and tells the audience that it is our duty to strengthen the fight for liberation in Congo through support and solidarity.
On Side B, Eve Rosahn, political activist, Students Against Government Misconduct, speaks about political activists for black liberation who have been tortured and beaten for their actions. Next, a member of the Anti-Springbok 5 chants “Up With Azania, Down With South Africa!”, and speaks about her experiences as an ASB-5, and tells the audience about the Springbok 5 and what they represent. The Springboks are an elite white supremacist South African rugby team traveling the US, representing the spread of white imperialism. Lastly, PAC (Pan African Congress) representative Jackie Mazibuko, speaks about white alliances between Ian Smith of Zimbabwe, the South African government, and the US in their oppression of black Africans. She also speaks about the land issues in Africa, and that all land originally, and still should, belong to black Africans, and that people must have the ideology of revolution to struggle against oppression.
Pan African Congress on conditions in South Africa
PAC (Pan African Congress) deputy president Johnson Mlambo speaks about the PAC’s role in the struggle for liberation in South Africa. He talks about black African’s struggle for land, and fighting against imprisonment of activists. He also speaks about the conditions of South African jails. N. Pokela, chairman of the PAC, speaks about the solidarity and determination needed among all Africans and South Africans to fight against Apartheid.
Side B is a question and answer period.
Interview with Susan Rosenberg about conditions in the women’s political prison, Lexington.
Call Number: PM 438AFormat: Cass AProducers: Sally O’Brian, Terry BissonCollection: Political Prisoners- General Info
Interview with Susan Rosenberg, an American revoluntionary anti-imperialist female political prisoner, about Lexington prison. . Susan Rosenberg describes the focus of Lexington as “the psychological element of incarceration to disintigrate the personality”. She speaks about the terribly harsh and restrictive conditions of Lexington, as well as the psychological impact of the prison. Rosenberg speaks about how every prisoner is there for political reasons, as the control unit is not based on disciplinary measures, but on classificationof who and what the prisoners are associated with.
Susan Rosenberg’s attorney, Michael Schubert, speaks about the isolation and solitary confinement the Lesington prisoners experience, and how such isolation is aimed at keeping the prisoners isolated from politics.
Conditions in Zimbabwe and political consciousness America
Call Number: AFR 077Collection: Zimbabwe
Judy Jensen,of the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) is interviewed about raising support in America for revolutionary struggles in Africa. A passionate anti-imperialist, she speaks about the wrongs being done to Africans, particularly those in Southern Africa. She aims to educate Americans on the revolutionary struggles in Africa, and to teach them about anti-Apartheid goals. She details the measures and protests the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU will use to achieve their objectives. She speaks about war in Central America, and about American political consciousness, saying that people are slowly realizing the American government’s aggressive and imperialist nature.
Side B contains an interview between two women. They discuss the problems facing Zimbabwe, such as land issues and dwindling resources. Next, the provincial secretary for the ZANU Women’s League, Eastern Province, is interviewed about the organization’s work for the Zimbabwean elections and their work in the provinces. Lastly, several women speak about problems getting material and supplies in Zimbabwe, expressing their thoughts on the newly independent Zimbabwe, and their hope for more equality between men and women.
AZAPO and conditions in Southern Africa
Program on AZAPO and the state of Southern Africa. AZAPO chairman Pokela, SWAPO representative, and AZAPO representative Nick Tucker speak.
AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organization) chairman Pokela speaks about the lack of knowledge people in the United States and Europe have about the struggles in Azania. He also speaks about how the native African people lost their land and their rights to the white imperialists. He says that in order for Africans to fight back, they must remove their inferiority complexes (as Robert Sobukwe, former president of the PAC (Pan African Congress), suggests). He speaks about the injustices of the Pass Laws in South Africa, and encourages blacks to go to the prisons and challenge the police to arrest them.
Next, a woman representative of SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization - dedicated to opposing injustice in Southern Africa) speaks about the problems of violence in South Africa, and also about the bloody war going on in Namibia. She speaks about the policy of “Destabilization” that was designed by the white Nationalists, and about the Western media’s perception, pressure, and influence on events in South Africa.
Lastly, Nick Tucker of AZAPO speaks about AZAPO and the current events and conditions in Southern Africa, mourning the large number of murders in the area.
He quotes Amilcar Cabral, “We should tell no lies and claim no easy victory”.
Tucker speaks about two theories that determine revolutions: 1) To have a revolution, one must have a revolutionary theory and convey it to the masses. 2) Continued economic depression will heighten revolutionary anarchy and the masses will want to organize and revolt. He says that AZAPO is trying to do the former strategy. Lastly, Tucker speaks about the formation of black worker’s unions - that they form under Black Consciousness because black men can truly understand the hardships and oppression of other blacks, and can then translate that idea to whites.
Pan African Congress speeches
PAC (Pan African Congress) speeches.
A PAC representative gives a speech on his experiences as a political prisoner in Robben Island, South Africa. He recounts the PAC’s role in fighting Apartheid and describes the PAC’s goals, which are not to remove Apartheid, but to destroy the whole system and create a new South Africa. A woman representative of the PAC speaks about the PAC’s and United States’ roles in fighting Apartheid in South Africa. She also speaks about the Springbok tour in America. Others speak about reconciling the US and South Africa, being involved in the community, and about PAC accomplishments in Southern Africa and Azania.
If You Want To Know Me: Reflections of Life in Southern Africa
Collection of poems, prayers and photos from Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa.
